Sheet treating machine and method of treating sheets



C. E HETZEL Nov. 27, 1934.

SHEET TREATING MACHINE AND METHOD OF TREATING SHEETS I 2 SheetsSheet 1 Filed May 15, 1931 INVEIilTOR ATTORNEYS c. E. HETZEL 1,982,302

SHEET TREATING MACHINE AND METHOD OF TREATING SHEETS Nov. 27, 1934.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 15, 1931 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 27, 1934 UNITED STA FFICE SHEET TREATING MACHINE AND METHOD OF TREATING SHEETS Charles E. Hetzel, South Hadley Falls, Mass.

Refiled for abandoned application 137,464, September 24, 1926. This May 15, 1931, Serial No. 537,592

14 Claims.

My invention relates to process treating vats and particularly to combinations of treating vats and traversing means for carrying sheet material through the successive steps of a treating 5 process.

An object of my invention is to provide means for processing a fragile sheet of coagulum.

Another object of my invention is to provide means for traversing a fragile sheet of coagulum successively through a plurality of processing vats.

Another object of my" invention is to provide means for threading a fragile sheet of material over traversing means in a plurality of vats without the necessity of manual handling in the vats. In the process of the production of a sheet of coagulum from a solution of cellulosic material, difliculty is experienced in the operations necessary for the processing of the sheet to'complete its coagulation and to strengthen and purify'it.

As the material leaves the preliminary coagulation process it is in a very fragile and delicate condition and is easily torn or broken. It is thereafter processed by treatment with a variety of precipitating and purifying re-agents. These reagents are applied in succession and are desirably contained in vats through which the sheet of coagulum is drawn.

0 The sheet of coagulum is desirably produced by the coating machine of my copending application, Serial No. 537,591, filed May 15, 1931, and is desirably processed by the apparatusdisclosed herewith through the series of re-agents as dis- 5 closed by my copending application, Serial No. 137,463, filed September 24, 1926, which hashecome Patent No. 1,807,036, andafter the completion of the processing operations is desirably dried by the apparatus described in my copending application, Serial No. 137,465, filed September 24,

By the machine of my invention, hereinafter described in this application, which is a refile for my former application, Serial No. 137,464, which has become abandoned, I am able to take the sheet of fragile coagulum produced by the coating machine of my copending application, and pass it conveniently through the treating vats for the processing disclosed by my second mentioned application. By my machine I am able to thread the very fragile sheet through the successive vats without the necessity of manual attention in the vats, and in the event of breakage of the sheet, to thread the leading end of the 5 broken section of sheet through the vats without Serial N 0. application the necessity of first threading the machine with an auxiliary leader member.

Other objects and structural details of my invention will be apparent from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a view in vertical perspective eleva-' tion of an embodiment of the vats and traversing mechanism of my invention; i

Fig. 2 is a plan view. of the same embodiment;

Fig. 3 is a view of a traversing roll and sprockets; I

Fig. 4 is a view of an embodiment of a cross-bar threading member of my invention;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the lines V-V'of the embodiment of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is a plan view of a convenient type of rewinding mechanism adapted to cooperate with other elements of my invention. Referring to Fig. 1, I provide a series of vats 1, which may be adjusted in number according to the requirements of my process, and according to the number of treatments required for the processing of my material.

In the'respective vats I provide a plurality of traversing rolls 2 which are conveniently journaled inbearings adjacent the sides of the vats. The rolls are conveniently made, as indicated in Fig. 3, of the drawings, and may comprise a cylindrical portion 3, sprocket members 4 and 5 at opposite ends of the cylindrical portion, and a spindle 6 adapted to cooperate at its respective ends with bearings 6a, which are suitably supported adjacent the sides of the vats as indicated in Fig. 1.

To prevent undue shrinkage; of the sheet of coagulum during the processing operations I have found that it is essential that the sheet be maintained in both crosswise as well as lengthwise tension. The lengthwise tension is conveniently provided by the cross-bar and threadingmeans. To produce the desirable crosswise tension I provide on the rolls a certain amount of crown of a kind that is similar to the crowning which is put upon the typical belt pulley. This crowning of the traversing rolls provides the necessary crosswise tension.

I find it also desirable that the diameter of the traversing rolls and the diameter of the pitch line of the sprockets be substantially the same in order that the surface speed of the traversing rolls may be substantially the same as the rate of travel of the chains.

The traversing rolls 2 are conveniently m0unt I ed in different types of spacing at the entrance,

and exit ends of the series of vats. In the vats near the entrance end of the sequenc the rolls 2 are desirably arranged in the form of two tangential arcs with a transfer roll 2, similar to the others, adjacent the point of tangency, as shown in Fig. 1. This arrangement of the rolls 2 is desirable, in order that they may be closely spaced, to reduce the length of sheet which is supported between them, and that the sheet may make about equal contact with each.

In the vats near the exit end of the sequence the sheet has been substantially strengthened and a longer portion may safely be supported between the successive rolls 2. The rolls may accordingly be positioned. in a staggered order, alternately at the top and bottom of the vat as shown in Fig. 1. Other transfer rolls similar in construction to the traversing rolls are provided at and above the ends of the vats as indicated, to transfer the sheet of material between successive vats.

A pair of chains 7 and 8 are provided running through the successive vats and cooperating with the sprockets 4 and 5 respectively upon the respective ends of the rolls 2. These chains are adapted to drive all of the rolls 2 at a uniform, similar, speed. They may desirably consist of short sections of normal chain, interspersed with special socket links of the type shown in Fig. 5.

The special socket links are adapted to cooperate with the ends of a cross-bar member shown in Figs. 4 and 5. The bar portion 9, as shown, has a slot formed through it which is adapted to passage therethrough of the end of a sheet of coagulum. A clamping member 10 is provided, as shown, to hold the end of the sheet or coagulum after it has been passed through the bar portion 9. The bar member!) has the ends reduced in size in order to enter readily the sockets 11 on special swinging links 12 of Fig. 4. v The links 12 are carried onthe chains '7 and 8. A reeling'machine is providedas indicatedfin Fig. 6 having a demountable reel member 14 and a variable speed driving mechanism consisting of cone pulleys 15 and 16, a belt 17, a belt transferring device 18, gearing 19 to the reel spindle l4, and a convenient driving means which may be an electric motor.

Sprockets 20 are provided for the return of the chains 7 and 8 from the, exit end of the series of vats to the entrance end. One pair of sprockets may conveniently be driven by a source or" power such as a motor 21.

Certain of the process steps require an elevation of temperature, which may be conveniently provided by steam coils 22 in the vats as indicated. Alternatively other heating means may be employed, such as hot water, an electric heater, or warmed oil.

In the operation of my machine, the end of a sheet of coagulum delivered by the sheeting, or coating machine as described in my copending application, is passed through the slot in the cross-bar member 9 and clamped by the clamping member 10. The cross-bar 'member may, if desired, be rotated to wrap the sheet of coagulum around it for obtaining a firmer attachment. The ends of the cross-bar are then inserted into a'pair of the sockets 11. upon the driving chains 7 and 8. The movement of the chain then draws the sheet of coagulum over the first of the transfer rolls 2 at the entrance of the series of vats 1, under the first roll 2 in the vat, successively over the arch of rolls, the bottom roll, and another arch of rolls, to thetransfer between thefirst and second vats, and similarly over the rolls in the succeeding vats to the exit end of the sequence of vats.

At the exit end the sheet is detached from the cross-bar 9 and may be wound up, upon the reel i l or, alternatively, may be led directly to the dryer, described in my copending application. The cross-bar may be removed and the chains '7 and 8 then return to the entrance end of the machine and resume their function of driving the rolls 2. In the event that the sheet of coagulum breaks in the course of treatment it is conveniently inserted in the slot of another cross-bar member 9, and clamped therein, after which the bar is inserted in a suitable pair of socket links 11 to be drawn on through the series of vats 1 as before.

By this means I am enabled to draw a sheet of coagulum through a series of treating vats without the necessity of a preliminary threading of the vats by a leader member, and I am enabled to continue the drawing of the sheet throughthe vats in the event of breakage of the sheet without the necessity of splicing the sheet in the vats or of drawing through another threading member.

While I have shown but asingle embodiment of the device of my invention, it is capable oi. modifications therefrom without departing from the spirit thereof and'I desire therefore that only such limitations shall be imposed thereon as are required by the prior art or indicated by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In combination, a treating vat, and a crowned roller therein.

2. In combination, a vat, a plurality of crowned rolls having sprockets therein, and a plurality of driving chains cooperating therewith.

3. In combination, a vat, a plurality of crowned 115 rolls having sprockets therein, a plurality of driving chains cooperating therewith, and means for providing a continuous clear path through the vat. I

4. In combination, a plurality of vats, traversing rolls therein, threading means comprising a plurality of chainstherein'adapted to drive said. rolls, and a cross-bar member adapted to be carried by said chains.

5. In combination, a plurality of vats, traversing rolls therein, threading means comprising a plurality of chains therein adapted to drive said rolls, and across-bar member adapted to be carried by said chains, said rollsbeing adapted. to be driven at similar surface speeds.

6. In combination, a vat, and a plurality of traversing rolls therein and sprockets cooperating therewith having a pitch line diameter similar to the diameter of said rolls. I

'7. In combination, a treating vat, a plurality of rolls therein, a plurality of driving chains cooperating therewith, meansfor traversing a sheet therethrough and means for maintaining an equal speed of linear travel of said sheet and said chains.

8. In combination, a plurality of vats, a plurality of traversing rolls in each thereof, and means comprising a cross-bar member and traversing chains for maintaining constant linear travel therethrough without the exclusion of crosswise shrinkage.

9. In combination, a treating vat, a plurality of traversing rolls therein for traversing a sheet of material to be treated through the vat, said traversing rolls being arranged with their longl- 350 tudinal axes transverse to and intersecting two externally tangential arcs, and a transference roll between said arcs.

10. In combination, a treating vat, a plurality of traversing rolls therein for traversing a sheet of material to 'be treated through the vat, said ing rolls therein for traversing a sheet of mate rial through the vats, and means for driving said traversing rolls including means for threading the material between the traversing rolls.

13. The method of conveying a sheet of material through a plurality of vats which consists in drawing the sheet through the vats at a uniform linear speed, supporting the sheet at spaced intervals, and traversing successive supportedportions at the same linear speed.

14. The method of conveying a sheet of fragile material under light tension which consists in drawing the end thereof along at a uniform linear speed, supporting the materials at spaced intervals, and traversing successive supported portions at the same uniform linear speed.

CHARLES E. HETZEL. 

